Results 18,281-18,300 of 18,738 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: I support Senator Boyhan. In a professional capacity, and I will not elaborate further, I became aware of the issue of large packets of cigarettes. I had never heard of a 30-pack of cigarettes. I thought it was joke.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: I had never heard of it.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: It was news to me as I do not smoke. The people selling these products do not want them. It is the manufacturers who are pushing them. There was a time when there was a ban on smaller packets. Woodbines used to be available in packets of five and ten.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (28 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: There was a ban on selling them individually. It cannot be right that they are uncontrolled and offered for sale in larger containers, which can only encourage more smoking. It can only have this effect.

Seanad: Restoration of Oireachtas Library and Reading Room: Motion (28 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: I move: “That Seanad Éireann: notes: - that a majority of members of the Oireachtas have expressed their support for the full restoration of the Oireachtas Library and Reading Room on the ground floor of Leinster House, and its furnishings and full complement of staff; and calls on: - the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to abandon its proposals to convert that space...

Seanad: Restoration of Oireachtas Library and Reading Room: Motion (28 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: This motion speaks for itself but I want to put the background to it on the record. The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission has not decided anything on the closure of the Members' reading room. The Committee on Standing Orders and Dáil Reform has received a submission but has not approved it. The submission would mean the existing reading room, which is the shared facility of Senators...

Seanad: Restoration of Oireachtas Library and Reading Room: Motion (28 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: Apart from the scandalous cost involved in it, of over €5 million, I have to say that the whole project has been clouded in mystery and almost the subject of deception. The affected members of staff of the Oireachtas, the Library staff, were told that the Members were in favour of this project. As Members in this House will know, I wrote out to all the Members of both Houses of the...

Seanad: Restoration of Oireachtas Library and Reading Room: Motion (28 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: The arguments against are non-existent, so I will not delay the House any further. I thank all the Members who have spoken in support of the motion for their kind words for the proposers of this motion. People say that the direction of travel is one way. One Member of the other House who spoke to me this evening said it was a fait accompliand there was no stopping it. Then I inquired and...

Seanad: Recent Violence in Dublin City Centre: Motion (29 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister. There are a few things I want to say. It seems there is now a decent Garda presence in Dublin city. I said at a meeting of the justice committee that my business means that I traverse the city up to four times a day, moving from here to there. I see the absence of policing in Dublin. Gardaí are not there. They are not visible. They are not out on the street...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: I advert to an issue arising out of the recent troubles in Dublin. People have been speaking about an expectation that the Judiciary will inflict tough sentences. The Judiciary will do what it will do. I draw attention to one simple fact, which is that, at the moment, there are waiting times of two years at least in some jury cases involving rape and matters like that. The Courts Service...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the witnesses. I welcome Mr. Harris's statement in response to Deputy Brophy that he will not resign. He has my full confidence and support. Some of the people who have called for his resignation in recent times have used violent disorder as a political tactic in the past. I will put it no further than that. On a general issue, the Constitution does, as the Commissioner...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: The public order Act also gives any member of An Garda Síochána the right to direct people to disperse and move away, failing which they will be arrested, in cases of disorder.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: In legal history, there used to be something called reading the riot act. It was a warning to a riotous group that it must disperse or it would be dealt with. That should be used more often. It should have been used outside the gates of this House. The protesters should have been told to go away. That is not happening but it should be considered in future. As I double-job as a Senator...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: The Commissioner mentioned the difficulties of Garda man hours being wasted on going through manual inspections of CCTV footage. Can civilian employees be used to do this task? Detectives do not necessarily need to be involved in watching the footage, if the people who are doing it know what they are looking for.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: It seems to me, going back to the comments I made about Ballybrack, that respect for An Garda Síochána, in some quarters, has evaporated. An impunity has developed incrementally on the part of people who confront gardaí. They will get away with disorder and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace. In this context, I noticed an article in The Irish Timestoday about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Michael McDowell: I thank the Commissioner.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Michael McDowell: As somebody who has never filibustered in this House-----

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Michael McDowell: I feel I have to be brief.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Michael McDowell: I will speak briefly about section 71. The governance framework provided for in this section is to be devised by the board. It seems that is a good idea but what I am increasingly worried about in respect of this Bill – I want to put it on the record – is the whole process of running An Garda Síochána is becoming more and more complicated. On the provisions of this...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Dec 2023)

Michael McDowell: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 11 be taken before No. 1. I also seek the leave of the House to introduce the Special Measures in the Public Interest (Derrybrien Wind Farm) Bill 2023. I sincerely thank the Bills Office for its co-operation in getting the Bill onto the Order Paper this week. Its purpose is to transfer the wind farm at Derrybrien from the ESB to the...